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Lennon confronts his haters

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lennon flagOn the eve of a Scottish Cup tie against Aberdeen Neil Lennon has turned his attention to those that hate him.

Last Saturday the Celtic boss had to leave early from the Aberdeen v St Johnstone League Cup semi-final at Tynecastle after being targeted by a coin and bottle from Aberdeen fans.

The mindset of those involved is unknown but only the incredibly naive would deny that Lennon’s DNA and public perception didn’t play a part in the latest shameful incident to blight the Irishman’s time in Scotland.

Confrontational and aggressive are the terms most often used to describe Lennon with the hard of thinking happy to take that lead from the images and words used to portray the Celtic manager.

The catalogue of attacks on Lennon are lengthy ranging from road rage to bullets and bombs in the post with the perpetrators a cross section of Scottish society ranging from students from Aberdeen to middle-aged men in Ayrshire.

While some will admit to their hatred of Lennon the majority shy away from the obvious, they use other terms and reasons deflecting from the fact that their hate figure is a high profile and highly successful Irish catholic and ginger as well.

Neil Lennon newsThe liquidation of Rangers was always going to be painful for some, seeing the golden boy that is Ally McCoist sink due to the disaster created by Davie Murray would have been unthinkable for those who revelled in the nineties as their superiority complex was underlined.

Now confronted on a daily basis by the success of Celtic, fronted by Lennon, the cold reality is hard to live with.

Looking emotional yesterday the Celtic boss tackled the issue straight on, while some will revel in this as a sign of weakness the broader perception of the best wee country in the world takes a serious hit as a light is shone into Scotland 2014.

“I don’t want it and I don’t need it,” Lennon said on the perception that encourages events like Tynecastle. “I’m not happy with some of the stuff that has come out regarding myself in terms of journalists saying, ‘He attracts it, it’s his controversial, confrontational nature’.

“For me, that’s very irresponsible. I am no more confrontational than any other manager in the SPFL. However, when it’s an issue regarding me, it seems to be imbalanced.

“I’m not putting up with people, commentators on the radio, saying ‘he can stand up for himself’. I certainly can. Can they?

“They are not walking in my shoes. They are portraying me to be something that I’m not. This street fighter … Yes, I can handle myself, but I’m not a street fighter. It’s hard to undo that. I’ve tried. For over a year I’ve been staying away from flash-points and controversy.

“I don’t think the condemnation is enough. Sometimes I get the feeling that, ‘It’s Lenny, he can take it, he’s a stand-up guy, he’s a street-fighting man’. All that crap. I’m fed up with it.

“I don’t go street-fighting. I look after myself and my friends and family. I live my life as quietly as I can away from football but I’m in the public eye.

“But a lot of the stuff has been almost life-threatening and the condemnation has been nowhere enough.”

Lennon’s comments have already excited the no-mark chattering classes feeling that their campaigning has got through to the Irishman.

Neil Lennon Celtic bossSince the latest Tynecastle incident they have spent their time asking various people the golden question while feigning their disapproval: “Do you think that this will force Lennon to leave Celtic.”

One day they may play a part in Lennon’s departure but Celtic’s success is virtually assured as yesterday’s six month financials underlined.

Only a series of moonbeams can derail Celtic from their current position, and while the public face of the club may change, as it did from Martin O’Neill to Gordon Strachan and onto Lennon, the underlying strength remains in the infrastructure of the club.

“In the past there is no question there were sectarian elements to what happened to me,” Lennon added. “People want to bury their head about that. I don’t, I want it said and I want something done about it. Last week there was no evidence of a sectarian element, but certainly a hooligan element.”

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0 comments

  • Tom McGinn says:

    I’m absolutely sick to death of the treatment Lenny gets from mindless morons and journalists alike. Yes he was a wind up merchant as a player, but every team needs and wants one.

    He was a success as a player and has matured brilliantly in to a successful, respectful and hard working manager.

    He left the snarling behind on the pitch and now leads the life of a decent family man. If Neil was to walk away from Celtic (which would be gut wrenching for him and the fans) nobody could blame him.

    No human being deserves the vile unacceptable treatment he gets, and its thanks to the brain dead fans in Scotland, that England can justify us never getting in to the premiership. If you do leave Neil, you go with my blessing and I’ll always be a fan of yours. You deserve better, much better.

  • peter says:

    GOD BLESS NEIL LENNON AND HIS FAMILY.

    Neil has taken so much shit in this country, that there should have been public enquiries at both Holyrood and
    Westminster.

    Why has this not happened ?

    As the establishments condone anti- Neil
    behaviour.

    MSM and Zombies want rid of Neil,as he
    is a SUCCESSFUL manager for us.With the
    under current of sectarianism,always
    prevalent.

    The ULTIMATE VICTORY for Neil against
    the scum, is to lead us to the ‘ MAGICAL 10 ‘

    His players have a duty,today,to put a big
    smile on Neil’s face, by sending the abusive sheepies,home to think again !!

    WE ARE ALL NEIL LENNON’S

    GLASGOW’S GREEN AND WHITE !!

  • buffythecat says:

    Just listen carefully to the pathetic and veiled comments by BBC journalists / commentators and pundits about Celtic in general and Neil Lennon in particular. They muddy the watters at every opportunity but always get their malicious points over to denigrate Lennon. He has become the BBC’s symbol for everything that they hate.

    Contrast this with the way they treat the Sevco f.c manager ‘Sleekit Sally’ and you have the BBC ‘s agenda all wrapped up in one. The BBC are not just anti Celtic. They are not just anti Irish. The BBC are not just anti Neil Lennon. The BBC are and have been for many years a vindictive, campaigning organisation against Irishness, Catholicism and Celtic F.C
    and they can achieve all of their subtle yet potent bigotry by homing in on Neil Lennon.

    When will MSP’s and MPs begin to waken up to this and start to ask some serious questions about the BBC’s role in this most secretive of campaigns.

    It is a very serious matter.

  • yogithebear67 says:

    Neil Lennon in my opinion can become one of Celtic’s greatest ever managers – up there with Mr Maley, Mr Mc Grory, big Jock, Cesar McNeill, MON and wee Gordon.
    The bigots, racists and those within the Scottish MSM know this and don’t like it, hence their never ending campaign to chase him out of “the best wee country in the world”
    I sincerely hope that Lenny can find the strength to stay at Celtic for a long, long time and prove these scumbags cannot win.
    God bless Neil Lennon. Hail, hail.

  • drawkcab says:

    First

    Congratulations to aberdeen.

    Best team on the day won

    Second

    After so many games undefeated lets no be so critical.

    Third

    Neil lennon needs our support more than ever.

    Fourth

    This is my last post on here.

    Thank you everyone.

    A special thanks to peter.

    Peter,

    THANK YOU

    Goodbye

    Haw haw haw.

    • peter says:

      Drawcab,

      Sorry, to see you go.

      Youv’e kept your best post to last.
      Indeed,lets not be too criical.The players
      let the manager down,big time.

      Yes,Neil’s team selection was baffling also.
      Strangely,there was no fight in the team.
      All in,a bad day at the office.

      What doesn’t help is Lawwell,giving himself a pat on the back,with the interim
      report.
      Bullishly boasting we could sign a 8M player, in the summer.Does anybody believe his rubbish ?
      We have been crying out for a target man,
      who can hold the ball up,since the season
      began.
      So Lawwell should keep his mouth shut.

      Keep the Faith

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